New Year, New Heart, New Lifeby Robert Driskell1/07/2011 / Christian Living

As we begin the new year, our thoughts turn to the resolutions about what we can do to make it better.

We ponder the best ways to lose weight, get healthy, balance our budget, prepare for the future, afford the things we think we need, or repair or improve our relationships with others.

Indeed these are worthy endeavors, but there is a deeper, more fundamental change with which we should be concerned.

A change of the heart.

No matter what external changes we make, the Bible say that our hearts are turned away from God, we are in rebellion against Him, and only He can fix us.

For those who realize the truth of this concept, the possibility of forgiveness and a new start comes as good news indeed. The Bible says:
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (II Corinthians 5:17 NKJV)

These verses tell us that God has done everything necessary to forgive your sins, release you from your spiritual and emotional chains, and set you free to live a life victorious over the pain, penalty, and power of sin.
Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ...God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them (II Corinthians 5:18-19 NKJV)

God loves us so much that He provided the way to set us free from the guilt that comes from a life lived in disobedience to Him. This forgiveness was accomplished by Jesus taking all our sins on Himself and paying for them by His death on the cross.
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (II Corinthians 5:21 NKJV)

All He asks is that you turn from your selfish pursuits, believe that Jesus paid for your sins on the cross, and seek to obey Him out of gratitude for all He has done for you.
...if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9 NKJV)

You won't be sorry. You'll be forgiven. You'll begin to know the freedom that only God can accomplish.

What better way to start a New Year?

(C) 2011 Robert Driskell

Seeking to introduce people to Jesus Christ and to help them become "transformed by the renewing of their mind."